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Saturday, July 14, 2012

AU Summit opens tomorrow in Addis Ababa

The 19th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) will officially open tomorrow, Sunday 15 July 2012 in the plenary hall of the New AU Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme: “Boosting Intra-African Trade”.

For two days (15 and 16 July 2012) the Heads of State and Government from the 54 Member States of the Union will consider the recommendations of the Executive Council on the report of the Commission on the implementation of previous Decisions of the Executive Council and the Assembly.

They will also consider the report of the Peace and Security Council on its activities and the state of peace and security in Africa, especially in Mali, Sudan/South Sudan and activities of the Panel of the Wise.

The two day meeting would also consider a report on NEPAD by Mr. Meles Zenawi, Ethiopian Prime Minister and Chairperson of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC).

The Heads of States would also condideer a report on Africa’s preparation for the Climate Change Negotiations at the 18th Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (COP18), by Mr Meles Zenawi, who is also the Coordinator of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC).

The Presidents and Heads of Delegations will also exchange views on the report on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) by Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo and Africa’s Coordinator on the United Nations Conference. They will discuss the report on the UN Reforms by Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chairperson of the Committee of Ten on the UN Reforms.

The Assembly will further consider the report of the High Level Committee of Heads of State and Government/ Chairs of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on Boosting Intra-African Trade, among others.

One of the high moments during the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU will be the election of the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) as well as the appointment of the eight Commissioners of the AU and the three Judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AFCHPR).

Meanwhile, the 19th Ordinary Session of the AU Summit was preceded by the 24th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) that took place from 9 – 11 July 2012 and the 21st Ordinary Session of the Executive Council held from 12 to 14 July 2012 at the headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa.